The Malaysian Insight

THE Port Dickson by-election kicked off today after a 14-day campaign that saw six candidates competing to stop Anwar Ibrahim from becoming the next prime minister. 

Anwar’s closest contender, Isa Samad said he does not want to talk about losing his deposit because the reason he joined the by-election is to win.

“We want to win. I hope to win but in the end voters in PD will decide,” said Isa who admitted he did not feel stressed although contesting as an Independent this time around.

Isa also does not expect all 13,000 Umno members in Port Dickson to pick him because “not all of them are voters”.

“If everything runs smoothly, the voting process will not disappoint me,” he said when met during the final minutes of campaigning last night.

PAS on the other hand hoped the party will get votes from two Malay areas, Linggi and Bagan Pinang. Its priority is Linggi’s voters, which the Islamist party contested in the May 9 polls.

“There is a chance in Linggi,” said Mohd Nazlan Mohamed Hasbullah, an elected representative from Kelantan who leads the party’s machinery in Linggi.

Analysts predict that the party will fall again and even lose its deposit.

Another independent candidate Saiful Bukhari Azlan said he is ready to face any results from the by-election.

Initially he targeted 30% of the votes, but now he is not confident. 

What is for sure, he will contest in anymore elections, Saiful told The Malaysian Insight.

“I’m still considering what platform to take. This is my first election without any machinery, so I’m being realistic. It is just the beginning and not the end.

“But I got one vote from early voting. I took the ballot paper and snapped a picture. That was a good sign. At least I have a vote now,” he said.

The only female candidate in this by-election, Lau Sek Yan is also ready for polling today although she did not meet with a lot of voters during campaign.

“But I hope they know me through the media reports, from conversations, and those who saw me on the streets,” said Lau.

Another independent candidate Kan Chee Yuen, however, was more optimistic. 

“Losing is a logical expectation. But it is not the question of winning or losing. It is the opportunity to tell Malaysians that we need a third power and the importance of a professional management,” he said. 

He does not want to be the opposition and hoped to be a facilitator or consultant if needed by the government. 

Another independent, social media celebrity Stevie Chan, in his final post before campaigning stopped last night, shared his cynical view of Anwar’s campaign. 

 

“Ministers and everyone else came to the campaign. It is funny, if it wasn’t a serious matter. Goodnight. We meet tomorrow night,” he said. 

The polling today involves 68,317 voters, which includes 154 channels in all 32 polling centres in Chuah, Lukut, Sri Tanjung, Bagan Pinang and Linggi. 

Polling centres open at 8am and will close at 5.30 pm.

Voters have been urged to come out early as rain is expected in the evening. – October 13, 2018.